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<p class="header"><a class="header" href="intro.htm">Orbiter</a> &gt; <a class="header" href="mainmenu.htm">Main menu</a> &gt; Flight recorder</p>

<h1>Flight recorder</h1>

<p>The flight recorder allows to record simulation sessions for later replay.
To open the flight recorder dialog, press <kbd class="ctrl">Ctrl</kbd> <kbd class="ctrl">F5</kbd>, or select <i>Record</i> from the main dialog (<kbd class="ctrl">F4</kbd>).</p>

<p>You can select a name under which the playback scenario will be saved. The default selection is the name of the scenario currently running. All playback scenarios are saved
in the <i>Playback</i> folder. If you select a name that exists already, a confirmation message will pop up before overwriting the existing playback.</p>

<p>You can then press the <i>REC</i> button to start the recording. Recording will stop when you press the <i>STOP</i> button or end the simulation session.</p>

<p>To start the playback, simply launch the generated scenario under the <i>Playback</i> folder.</p>

<h2>Keyboard shortcuts</h2>
<p>You can start and stop recording without opening the recorder dialog by pressing <kbd class="ctrl">Ctrl</kbd> <kbd>C</kbd>.</p>

<h2>Advanced recording options</h2>
<p>Pressing the &darr; button on the recorder dialog opens additional recording options.
These include:</p>
<h3>Advanced recorder options</h3>
<p><ul>
<li><b>Record time acceleration</b>: Record changes in time accelerations in the playback stream. This allows the playback to run at the same acceleration settings.
If disabled, or if the user disables automatic time acceleration during playback, the acceleration setting can be changed manually during playback.</li>
<li><b>Record focus events</b>: Record the change of input focus from one vessel to another in the playback stream. These switches will then also occur during playback.
Otherwise, the input focus stays with the initial vessel throughout the playback, even if focus was switched during recording.</li>
<li><b>Sampling in system time steps</b>: If selected, the system clock will be used to calculate the sampling intervals for saving position and attitude data. Otherwise,
the simulation time will be used. If using system time, sampling intervals will be larger during time acceleration. This is usually preferred, because otherwise large
amounts of redundant data may be recorded during coasting phases that are recorded at high time acceleration settings.</li>
</ul></p>

<h3>Attitude data</h3>
<p>Allows to select the frame of reference to which the attitude data refer.</p>
<p><ul>
<li><b>Ecliptic frame</b>: Use the inertial ecliptic (J2000) frame of reference</li>
<li><b>Local horizon frame</b>: Use the current horizon frame. In this case, the recorded Euler angles correspond directly to pitch, yaw and roll.</li>
</ul></p>

<h3>Position/velocity data</h3>
<p>Allows to select the frame of reference for the linear state vectors (position and velocity).</p>
<p><ul>
<li><b>Ecliptic fame</b>: Use the ecliptic (J2000) frame of reference</li>
<li><b>Equatorial frame</b>: Use the equatorial frame of the current orbit reference object.</li>
</ul></p>

<p>For more details about playback file stream formats and data, see <i>Doc\Technotes\RecorderRef.pdf</i>.</p>

<h2>Playback options</h2>
<p>If the Recorder/playback dialog is opened during a replay, it allows to tune the replay options.</p>
<p><ul>
<li><b>Show inflight notes</b>: Show the screen annotations recorded with the playback stream.</li>
<li><b>Play at recording speed</b>: Automatically switch time acceleration settings to the values recorded in the playback stream.</li>
<li><b>Use recorded camera settings</b>: Automatically set the camera mode and position to the values recorded in the playback stream.</li>
<li><b>Use recorded focus events</b>: Switch the input focus between vessels as recorded in the playback stream.</li>
</ul></p>
<p>In addition, you can open the <i>Playback editor</i> by pressing the <i>Editor</i> button. The playback editor allows to enhance
the playback stream by inserting annotations, camera positions, and time acceleration changes.</p>
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